Many Detained Protesters In Iran On Hunger Strike

Mohammad Reza Azhar, an 18-year-old teenager, who was arrested in the religious city of Mashhad in the northeast on September 22, said in an audio message that the blood vessels of his eyes were torn due to severe mental pressure.

Meanwhile, Armita Abbasi, and over a dozen other prisoners in Kachouie prison of Karaj, west of Tehran, have gone on hunger strike since Monday to protest the lack of attention to their indefinite detention, lack of access to lawyers and the danger of harsh verdicts.

Jasmin Haj Mirza Mohammadi, a 25-year-old citizen, who was sentenced to five years in prison has also refused to eat anything since Monday.

Hamideh Zarei, suffering from anemia and low blood pressure, is also on strike while her move is extremely dangerous for her health.

Another prisoner close to her said Hamideh was severely beaten while being arrested, adding that her court was held on December 29 through video call as she was not allowed to choose a lawyer.

On the other hand, reports say Farshid Nowrozi, an English literature professor at Mazandaran University, has been expelled for supporting protesting students.

However, the authorities of the Islamic Republic are still denying the bloody suppression of the protests. On Tuesday, Masoud Satayshi, the judiciary spokesman, called numerous reports about sexual harassment and rape of imprisoned women "lies”, saying no documents have been presented in this regard so far.